Safe Haven

The San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park are safe havens for illegally trafficked wildlife in desperate need of a second chance. Our teams of wildlife and conservation experts work with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as well as other national, international, and state agencies to rescue, triage, and care for confiscated wildlife.

From endangered squirrel monkeys and tigers being smuggled into the pet trade, to the most exotic reptiles and birds on the planet being illegally trafficked, countless individuals worldwide have been given lifesaving care and a forever home at the Zoo and Safari Park safe from the fatal effects of wildlife trafficking.

It Began with a Roar

With the roar of Rex the lion 110 years ago, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has been at the forefront rescuing and saving wildlife, serving as first responders and experts in the field providing vital veterinary and around-the-clock care for wildlife in need.

A Global Crisis

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is a global leader in wildlife conservation and in combatting wildlife trafficking. A founding member of the Wildlife Confiscations Network, we work in close partnership with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (ACA), Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), and other international conservation organizations to disrupt illegal trade and offer lifelong care for confiscated wildlife.

Wildlife trafficking remains a serious global crisis. As an Alliance, we are committed to protecting and caring for Earth’s vanishing animals and plants and developing sustainable conservation solutions worldwide.

Millions Each Year

Reptiles are some of the most illegally trafficked animals on the planet. Smuggled as part of the illicit wildlife trade, millions of turtles, lizards, and snakes find themselves being trafficked as one of the largest illegal economies in the world. For nearly 50 years, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has offered critical refuge, lifesaving care, a lifelong sanctuary, and sustainable conservation solutions for countless reptiles rescued from the horrors of trafficking.

SAVING SPECIES

Illegal Pet Trade

One of hundreds of animals saved from the illicit pet trade and cared for at the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Moka the tiger was being illegally trafficked into the United States when federal officers discovered him at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.

Stashed in the floorboard of a Chevy Camaro, with smugglers falsely claiming he was a domestic house cat, he was rescued and brought to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park for emergency care and lifesaving surgery.

Countless animals are trapped in the exotic pet trade. As allies for wildlife, you can make a difference for them and others like Moka.

NOT A PET

On the Front Lines

Wildlife trafficking is a global crisis, and many turtle species are among the most trafficked wildlife in the world.

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s work extends far beyond San Diego. Our global conservation teams are working on the frontlines of wildlife trafficking hotspots, helping ensure confiscated animals receive expert care so that threatened and endangered species have a future in native habitats. Our work is focused on preventing extinction and restoring populations harmed by trafficking.

10,976 TURTLES

Critically Endangered

Since 1988, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has been a safe haven for more than 10,000 illegally trafficked plants—with more than 2,000 of these being orchids from nearly 30 countries—as part of The Plant Rescue Center Program which is run and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Succulents and orchids are some of the most critically endangered plants on Earth and by far among the most illegally trafficked plans globally. Driven by consumer demand, millions of wild plants are poached from their native habitats annually, often pushing them and their ecosystem to the brink of extinction.

SLIPPERY SLOPE

Rescue Center

For nearly 20 years, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance entomology experts have cared for dozens of rescued invertebrates at the Alliance’s specialized Arachnid Rescue Center, including several species of exotic and endangered tarantulas.

Secretive and elusive by nature, tarantulas are among the most vulnerable and trafficked species in the multibillion-dollar and illegal wildlife trade industry.

SAVING INVERTEBRATES

Global Expertise, International Impact

Leaders within the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Wildlife Trafficking Alliance and founding partners of the Southern California Wildlife Trafficking Network, we offer immediate rescue, triage, and around-the-clock expert care for wildlife confiscated from illegal trafficking. As an Alliance, we also work to reduce consumer demand for illegally traded wildlife and wildlife products worldwide.

ALLIANCES FOR CHANGE